mentality with a Western one is industrialism insead
of slowliness... The Belgrade motto Ima Vremia
(there is time) and its Russian equivalent must
disappear from our vocabulary" - Ivan Hribar
Ljubliana is an enchanting place. At Preseren Square, the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) provides a perfect, lovely gateway to the historic district, which comprises a series of narrow, cobblestone streets, shops, Italian restaurants and pubs. Walking this Old Town is like a voyage in time -medieval Ljubljana remains practically untouched.
The Road to a Metropolis. Slovenia has always had a strong orientation towards the West. That makes the 40 years under Communism an uneasy parenthesis in history. The Slovenes have an enduring commitment with Western culture and values.
I don't pretend to discuss what a 'national conscience' actually is, but I think it's easily perceptible in history, the people, their thoughts and achievements. In the 1930s. a skyscrapper was built here, as a response to architectural developments in American cities. Today this skyscrapper is another tourist attraction, housing some offices, a café and nightclubs. It also offers one of the best views of the capital city.
Yet it is the individuals and the leaders which best embody and represent a national conscience. Currently, the Mestni Musej (City Museum) is presenting an exhibition about the life of Ivan Hribar, one of the greatest Ljubljana heroes. As the city major, Hribar commanded the transformation of Ljubljana from a provincial town to a big 'Metropolis'. Some of the most remarkable writtings of the great Hribar are featured in the museum's walls and displays. They provide an insight into his thinking, his ideas and the Slovenia he always envisioned. 'The angsts and pains of the heart -he wrote- are so subjective that they kill a great deal of objectivity in a man'.
Hribar defined himself as 'enrooted' in Slovenia, even when he declared his passion for travelling. He devoted his youth to touring different European countries, and to that end he saved every possible money. 'In my opinion, the most important argument to replace the Eastern with the Western mentality is industrialism instead of slowliness... The Belgrade motto Ima Vremia (there is time) and its Russian equivalent must disappear from our vocabulary'.
By writting this, Hribar was unveiling the nature of an entire national conscience. By approaching the 'Western' culture, he was disconnecting Slovenes from the rest of the Slav world and its nationalist link with Mother Russia. Ljubljana chose to ignore that 'there is time' and instead embarked herself on a pathway of development. (During the golden days of Yugoslavia, Slovenia remained the richest of all six republics in the federation).
The Green City. Ljubljanski Grad (Ljubljana castle) is to this city what the Hradcany fortress is to Prague. It's amazing; but the two cities have so much in common. The legacy of architect Joze Plecnik, for instance, remains in many of Ljubljana's edifices, but also in Prague, where he was commissioned to the design and construction of different buildings.
Making comparisons helps little, but they serve as a point of reference.
Ireland calls iself 'the green country', yet that is the colour prevailing in
Slovenia. Green presides over mountains and valleys around the country;
even Ljubljanski Grad sits on top of a densely forested hill. No wonder the city's symbol and ethernal guardian is portentous, green-coloured dragon.
* First Published in 1998
